Worldwide patterns of genetic differentiation imply multiple 'domestications' of Aedes aegypti, a major vector of human diseases

Brown, Julia E., McBride, Carolyn S., Johnson, Petrina, Ritchie, Scott, Paupy, Christophe, Bousin, Hervé, Lutomiah, Joel, Fernandez-Salas, Ildefonso, Ponlawat, Alongkot, Cornel, Anthony J., Black IV, William C., Gorrochotegui-Escalante, Norma, Urdaneta-Marquez, Ludmel, Sylla, Massamba, Slotman, Michel, Murray, Kristy O., Walker, Christopher, and Powell, Jeffrey R. (2011) Worldwide patterns of genetic differentiation imply multiple 'domestications' of Aedes aegypti, a major vector of human diseases. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, Biological Sciences, 278 (1717). 2446-2454 .

[img] PDF (Published Version) - Published Version
Restricted to Repository staff only

View at Publisher Website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2010.2469
 
177
6


Abstract

Understanding the processes by which species colonize and adapt to human habitats is particularly important in the case of disease-vectoring arthropods. The mosquito species Aedes aegypti, a major vector of dengue and yellow fever viruses, probably originated as a wild, zoophilic species in sub-Saharan Africa, where some populations still breed in tree holes in forested habitats. Many populations of the species, however, have evolved to thrive in human habitats and to bite humans. This includes some populations within Africa as well as almost all those outside Africa. It is not clear whether all domestic populations are genetically related and represent a single 'domestication' event, or whether association with human habitats has developed multiple times independently within the species. To test the hypotheses above, we screened 24 worldwide population samples of Ae. aegypti at 12 polymorphic microsatellite loci. We identified two distinct genetic clusters: one included all domestic populations outside of Africa and the other included both domestic and forest populations within Africa. This suggests that human association in Africa occurred independently from that in domestic populations across the rest of the world. Additionally, measures of genetic diversity support Ae. aegypti in Africa as the ancestral form of the species. Individuals from domestic populations outside Africa can reliably be assigned back to their population of origin, which will help determine the origins of new introductions of Ae. aegypti.

Item ID: 18067
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1471-2954
Keywords: Aedes aegypti aegypti, Aedes aegypti formosus, human habitats, microsatellites, evolution, mosquito genetics
Date Deposited: 18 Aug 2011 04:11
FoR Codes: 11 MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES > 1108 Medical Microbiology > 110803 Medical Parasitology @ 100%
SEO Codes: 92 HEALTH > 9201 Clinical Health (Organs, Diseases and Abnormal Conditions) > 920109 Infectious Diseases @ 100%
Downloads: Total: 6
More Statistics

Actions (Repository Staff Only)

Item Control Page Item Control Page